


Spectrum

by Enchantable



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Eventual Romance, M/M, Mutual Pining, PDA, Pride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 07:46:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19146610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: Alex and Michael celebrate Pride





	Spectrum

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: Hi, I have a pride prompt, can you write something about Roswell having it’s first pride and Alex and Michael are there but not together yet. I wanna know more about how Michael feels about his sexuality.

“What the hell is that?” Michael questions, looking at the swirling drink, “I ordered a beer.”

“You ordered the cheapest drink,” Maria says, “this is free.”

“It’s rainbow.”

Maria rolls her eyes.

“It’s the start of Pride,” Michael looks at her blankly, “did you forget?”

“How could I?” He grumbles, taking the drink and raising it in a cheers towards her. It tastes like pure sugar. But there’s liquor in there somewhere and it’s free and so he weaves his way through the crowd. Plastic cups can go outside and he all but falls out of there and into the cooler air and nearly collides with Alex, “it’s not worth it,” are the first words out of his mouth.

Alex frowns up at the bar. The first night of Pride has become a thing in Roswell. Michael always does his best to ignore it. But it’s also never coincided with Alex being in town. It’s a weird thing to see the rainbow colored madness behind him and to see the decidedly unrainbow colored Alex standing there looking like he’s not sure about going into the bar. Michael doesn’t blame him. But Alex also doesn’t tell him to go away so he approaches slowly. Alex relaxes slightly.

“Not big on—“ he motions, “that?”

“You don’t seem so big on it yourself,” Alex replies.

Michael shakes his head at his evasive answer.

“It’s kind of hard to be big on living your truth,” he points out.

It takes Alex a moment of confusion before he catches on. For all the shit that’s happened and all the stuff they discovered, Alex is still new to the whole ‘I’m an alien’ thing. It’s weird. Michael feels robbed somehow. There’s relief in telling people he’s bisexual, when he chooses to do it. Not getting to tell Alex he’s an alien feels messed up. He takes another sip of the rainbow concoction which is slightly better the more the liquor takes effect. He looks over at Alex.

“How come you’re not in there?” He asks. Alex shrugs, “do people not—“

“Yes they know,” Alex says shortly, “I don’t hide that I’m gay.”

“Good,” Michael says. Alex frowns, “I think it’s good you don’t hide it!” Michael tells him, “you not wanting to have rainbows slapped on you doesn’t mean you’re bad at being gay or something.”

Alex’s posture shifts to defensive and Michael sighs. He knows Alex has a complicated relationship. He was in the armed services before DADT got repealed. Oh and his father did try to beat the gay out of him. Alex being comfortable saying that he’s gay is a good thing. And Michael is sincere that Alex not dancing up on tables in a rainbow flag doesn’t make him bad at being gay. But he also knows that the situation is complicated. There’s middle grounds, not that the explosion of rainbow and glitter would have you know it.

“It’s who I am,” Alex says, “I can’t choose—“ he exhales, “it’s not something I’m comfortable celebrating like this.”

“You don’t have to be,” Michael says immediately. Alex looks over at him raising his eyebrows. But he doesn’t make any kind of snarky comment like Michael is expecting, “what? You don’t,” Michael says, “I’m not comfortable with it either.”

“You’ve always seemed more comfortable with it,” Alex says.

“Uh that’s because I was hiding other things,” Michael points out.

“Right,” Alex says pressing his hand to his forehead, “so people here—“

“I’m the town drunk and criminal,” Michael reminds him. Alex’s features soften, “no one cares if I don’t make a big deal about it,” he rolls his eyes at the soft look Alex is giving him, “what?”

“I’m sorry I believe that about you,” Alex says.

Michael takes a long drink and crushes the ice between his teeth. He almost prefers Alex hating and dismissing him. At least then he has the buffer of ‘if he knew the real me’. Alex knows the real him now—or as much as anyone knows another person. Hell he’s not sure if he knows who he really is anymore. But now there’s no out. The illusion is gone and Alex can see all the other ways that Michael’s a fuck up and find new reasons to hate him.

“Don’t be,” Michael says, “that’s what I am.”

“You’re still a miserable liar,” Alex says.

Michael sighs loudly and drinks more of his slushy.

“I can’t believe I wanted you to know everything,” he mutters.

Alex laughs and shoves his hands into his pockets.

It’s kind of not the worst thing in the world to be sitting out there with Alex, watching the stars and listening to the base thump from inside the bar. Not to mention somewhere in there Wyatt Long is probably hating life which is always a nice bonus. Plus the more he drinks of the slushy the better the thing tastes. Maria is a good bartender, he’ll give her that.

“You know this thing isn’t bad,” Michael remarks through the comfortable silence, “you wanna taste?” He asks, flashing a grin at Alex.

“Sure,” Alex says.

And then in one smooth motion he cups his cheeks and kisses him.

Michael is surprised but he’s sure as fuck not complaining as Alex licks into his mouth and kisses the grin from his lips. If the slushy tasted not bad, the slushy combined with the taste of Alex is fucking magical. Michael thinks he makes a noise, he sure as shit grips the front of Alex’s jacket as he kisses him and kneads into his lower back. Finally Alex pulls back and there’s a smudge of blue on his lower lip from all the colors blended together that makes Michael kiss him again, pulling him as close as he physically can get.

“Woo hoo! Yay pride!” Someone cheers.

“Fuck off!” Michael throws over his shoulder and looks back at Alex.

It’s the first time they’ve kissed where people can see, no way anything is ruining that. Alex looks nervous but like that isn’t gonna stop him and Michael’s never been more in love with another human being in his entire life. He keeps his hands on Alex as he takes a deep breath and steadies himself, but he stands there and keeps his arms around him.

“They’re not bad,” he says, “you want to go get another one?”

Michael nods but when Alex goes to move, he holds him there.

“You—“ he fights not to sound like a complete moron, “we’re in public.”

Concern flares in Alex’s eyes.

“Is that okay?” He says.

“Yes!” Michael cuts in before he can agonize over it. Though it comes out maybe slightly too enthusiastic, given the surprise on Alex’s features. “I didn’t think we could.”

“I know,” Alex says, wrapping his hand around the one Michael has fisted in his shirt, “I wanted to try.”

“And?”

Alex smiles and kisses him again, soft and sweet this time and when he works Michael’s hand free of his shirt, it’s only to grips his fingers. Michael can feel the kiss in his bones and his heart and everywhere, despite it being soft. Soft isn’t something he ever gets to have. It isn’t something he knew they were capable of anymore. When they pull apart they stay close enough to feel each breath. If this is the one thing the universe lets him have, Michael instantly forgives all the other shit it’s taken from him.

“Let’s go get that drink,” he says. Alex grips his wrist, “you know if you change your mind and you do want to dance on tables—“

“Guerin,” Alex says, “don’t start.”

“I’m just saying!” Michael holds his hand up, “it’s an option.”


End file.
